Rail joint



Jan. 16, 1951 c, 0M 2,538,249

RAIL JOINT Filed March 25, 1949 HARLEY C [50M INVENTOR.

latented Jan. 16, 1951 ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIL JOINT Harley (lrlsom, -W-altonville, Ili., assigno'r to Burton Jones, Decatur, 111.

Application March 25, 1949, Serial No. 88,320

traction caused by extremes in weather temperatures.

Railroad tracks are subject to creepage on the road bed when subjected to heavy 'loads'and unless an extremely strong rail joint and splice bar is provided this creepa'ge will cause'the joints 'to weaken and become loosened to such an extent that possible derailment of a train may result. Also, in the construction of rail joints,

it is important to allow for expansion and contraction of the rail to compensate for all kinds of weather conditions. Furthermore, with an efficient rail joint longer length and heavier gage rails may be used so as to handle greater loads.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel rail joint adapted to minimize creepage in railroad tracks 'on the road beds.

Another object is to provide a rail joint of maximum strength and yet to allow for expansion and contraction of the rails caused by temperatures and the strains and stresses developed by heavy loads and traffic during use.

Still a further object is to provide a novel splice bar construction adapted to cooperate with a specially reinforced section on a rail web adjacent the abutting ends of two rails spliced together by the said splice bar.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the invention is more fully described, the same consists in a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated and claimed.

One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view showing the improved safety device, mounted on the usual type of tie-plate and with a fragment of a wooden railroad tie in section.

Fig. 2 shows a top plan view, partly in section and partly in plan, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.

1, but without the wooden railroad tie.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing a fragment of the wooden railroad tie.

Fig. l is a perspective view from a tipped up bottom and end position, showing especially the two ribs or raised mouldings on which the splice bar members are mounted, and also the spaced apart transverse sets of ribs between which the metal tie plates are engaged when the track of this improvement is laid in use.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing one end of the track members and indicating one of the transverse ribs, which, when the track is laid as shown'inthe Figs. "1 and 2, for example, forms, together with the corresponding transverse rib o'nthe abutting track member, the pair of transverse ribs between which the tie plate is engaged 'at'eac'h track joint of the railroad track.

Fig. dis a side elevational view looking into the recessed panel of the splice member, showing "the series of somewhat elongated openings to engage the several "transversely arranged bolts of the usual type for railroad tracks.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughouttheseveral figures of the drawing.

Referring in detail to the drawing there is shown a pair of rails 10 and H positioned in end to end alignment over a tie plate l2 so thatthe transverse 'rib [4 across the bottom of each base of the said rails each abut the edges of the tie plate, see Fig. 1. These ribs [4 reduce creepage of the rail sections along the roadbed.

The rails to and II are formed withthe usual web portions l5. Formed from the web for a portion of its length and extending longitudinally from the ends of each of the rails is a rectangular raised rib l6. This rib is formed with spaced oval openings 2|. When the rails are placed together at the ends, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the ribs are aligned and a pair of splice plates I! and [8 are applied over these ribs I6 on each side of the web of the rails, so as to secure the rails together in their end to end position.

These splice plates ll and iii are formed with elongated rectangular recesses Ili which fit over the raised ribs l6 of the rail webs. In order to secure the splice plates in position securely and yet allow for expansion and contraction of the rails, as well as creepage thereof due to heavy loads, these recesses are formed with alternate round and oval openings C and D to receive the splice plate bolts I9. The reason for making these plates It with first a round and then an oval opening is for the purpose of alternately turning the bolt heads so that the head portion which carries below it an oval shoulder 20 will fit in an oval opening on one side of the web and prevent the bolt from turning in the splice plates mounted on each side of the web. While the rounded shank of the bolt projects on through the oval opening 2| in the raised rectangular rib [6 of the rail web l5 and out of the opposite aligned opening in the opposite plate, it sh uld 3 be noted that the plates IT and I8 are oppositely mounted so that when in position on the web an oval opening of one plate lines up with a round opening of the other.

With the oval openings formed in the raised portions 16 of the web and due to the fact that the ends of the rails are slightly spaced apart and that the elongated rectangular recess is slightly longer than the aligned raised rectangular portions IS on the web, there is positive allowance for sufficient movement in the track at the joint to substantially eliminate bolt shearing actions. If movement was not per mitted to allow for expansion and contraction and rail creepage, the bolts might be sheared off or materially weakened to cause train derailment under heavy load.

Thus, there is provided a rail joint for providing greater safety comprising in combination with novelly formed rail ends, a novel splice plate adapted to make a joint which is durable under heavy loads and efficient to splice longer :lengths of rails than heretofore could be used.

Also, this rail joint is so made as to allow for expansion and contraction to an extent suilicient to extend the life of the joint and durability of the splice bolts.

Without further description it is believed that the novel features and special advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to others skilled in the art, and it is to be expressly understood that changes in form, arrangement and construction may be made, without departing from the scope of invention. Reference should be had to the appended claims to determine the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A rail joint comprising in combination a pair of rails to be spliced together, said rails being formed on opposite sides of the web ad jacent their aligned ends with a projecting rib, said rib being formed with oval openings, and splice bars formed with a closed recess adapted to conform with and fit over and confine the aligned projecting ribs on each web, said bar having openings therein for alignment with said oval rib openings.

2. A rail joint comprising in combination a pair of rails to be spliced together, said rails being formed on opposite sides of the web adjacent their aligned ends with a projecting rib, said rib being formed with oval openings, and splice bars formed with closed recesses adapted to conform with and fit over the aligned projecting ribs on each web, said bar having openings therein for alignment with said oval rib openings, said openings in said splice bar being alternately circular and oval, to thereby alternately mount the head end and then the shank end of a splice bolt connecting the joint together.

3. In a rail joint, a rail with the usual web portion having each end formed with spaced apart transverse ribs across the base, projecting elongated longitudinally extending ribs formed from each opposite side of the web, said lastnamed ribs being formed with oval openings to allow longitudinal expansion and contraction when the rails are joined together, a splice bar for each side of the web formed with a rectangular closed countersunk area adapted to fit over and confine the said last-mentioned ribs when they are aligned, and splice bolts for joining the rails together, and a separate tie plate under the end of each of the rails abutting between the transverse rib on the end of each rail.

4. The rail joint arrangement described in claim 3, wherein the said closed countersunk area is slightly longer than the end to end length of the said last-mentioned ribs, to thereby allow for expansion and contraction.

HARLEY C. ISOM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,004,778 Haight Oct. 3, 1911 1,147,251 Leveille July 20, 1915 1,576,407 Broshears Mar. 6, 1926 2,296,076 Wood Sept. 15, 1942 

